Not so different. Same feel to both, with Different Drum serving as a thematic sequel to Another You. Good songs, well arranged and well performed. Despite all the shit that was going down in 65-67 it was a more innocent time and these two song reflect that innocence. Very refreshing.

I think the songs are very similar, so that watching one (the 1965 one) made me want to find the second one (which was on the list of suggestions at YouTube, as I'd thought it should be).

I notice a big difference, that has an impact on me because I remember the year to year changes in style and wish there were similar pop culture changes today.

The hair/makeup/fashion in the 1965 video are exactly where I was when I was 14, and I'm highly sensitive to the change in the 2-years-later video. The shoes become flat, the tights go from black to weird green, and the skirt gets shorter. But beyond that, there's much more warmth and passion in Linda Ronstadt's singing, which is striking because the lyrics in her song (written by Monkee Mike Nesmith) are about leaving the lover to follow her own exciting view of where she's got to be going, and she's really happy about it all. The earlier song also imagines an exciting future, but the woman is absolutely dedicated to her alliance with the man.

Yes, time did move faster back then. In cultural terms, every year was quite different from the previous one. The music especially, but so much more. Very exciting but hard to negotiate. Mistakes were made, big ones. At least, that's how it shook out for me. I'm reminded of the final scene in The Man Who Would Be King, when Kipling asks Peachy Carnahan whether it was all worth the effort. Like Peachy, I don't have an answer. It's too soon to judge and, anyway, I've got a man to meet at Marwar Junction.

Althouse: "But beyond that, there's much more warmth and passion in Linda Ronstadt's singing, which is striking because the lyrics in her song (written by Monkee Mike Nesmith) are about leaving the lover to follow her own exciting view of where she's got to be going, and she's really happy about it all."

The song is clearly about a man leaving his female lover, but Ronstadt's version changes "girl" to "boy". "Yes, and I ain't sayin' you ain't pretty."

It's funny how rapidly the music industry moved back then. Bands used to put out like 2 to 3 albums a year, and there'd often be fairy severe musical differences in the same band in just a few years time. The clearest example is the evolution The Beatles sound throughout the 60s.

In contrast, modern music seems so unchanging. Bands will often take 2 or 3 or 5 years or more between albums, and usually there isn't the dramatic changes is style that were common place back in the day. Once a band has established a style, they seem to usually stick with it. I mean, there's some exceptions here and there (Opeth went from a death metal band to a 70s style progressive rock band) but generally modern bands are fairly unvarying.

I was ages 13-15 during that time frame. During several of those years my New Year's Eve consisted of listening to the "Top 100" countdown on the radio. Much anticipation of how the songs would line up, and making a list as the songs were played. Todays the Internet makes doing that totally unnecessary.

Speaking of Stone Poneys, I have been listening to Stone Darlings a lot lately - I love what the younger kids are doing with the surf music genre.

After 1964 he drug culture exploded overnight. And songs to an alliance with her ONE man became so limiting for a Summer of Love. The lifetime commitments ideal had suddenly become 3 month flings using the new birth control pills, if you were lucky. Meanwhile LBJ's Great Asian land War was reving up faster and faster.

I blame it all on the ease with which the CIA's covered up their JFK slaughter. What couldn't we be told that we wanted next.

I also saw the difference in lyrics, from commitment to individuality. I've always loved Linda Rondstadt's voice but Judith Durham was a revelation, beautiful. Hoffs and Sweet have put out two cover albums with music from the 60s and 70s respectively. I highly recommend both of them. Poor Linda, though, how long before her name is dragged through the mud for the cultural appropriation of the big hoop earrings.

Thanks for the walk down memory lane. I'd forgotten how much I liked Linda Ronstadt. And what beauty. I sat and watched another 20 minutes of her videos and couldn't take my eyes off her beautiful brown eyes.

Two magnificent female voices. They made Judith sing in chorus with the guys but it was still all about her. Linda was featured. That alone is a difference. But wonderful voices, terrific performances.

I was just at the age to fall in love with either of these fabulous women, and it seems I still am.

Yes, quite a difference in approach. The Seekers 1965 were closer to the folkie movement which was exhausting itself at that point. Sang as a group. The Lettermen, Peter Paul & Mary. The We Five. By 1967, the featured singer out front, like Janis Joplin, Roger Daltrey, Grace Slick. Different Drummer, tho, almost a Dylan song with its wordiness.

Linda had a powerful voice and she did not have to strain. So its not "sweet" and she's "screaming" To each his own. She melted my heart for the entire 1970s and recorded some beautiful music - well produced and very listenable. I will always put her at the top.

Styles may change, but Abbey Road will always be a great sounding studio. Today, they have a better mixing desk and a 2" tape recorder that will do more tracks, but they will be using the same mics that they did in 1965. Recording technology hit its sonic peak in about 1968. It's much easier now, and that's great, but one of the it doesn't sound any better, and it usually sounds a little worse.

I was always a Rondstadt fan. Saw her live at some point. But really preferred Judith Durham here. It seemed more female overtones to male singing, and not, as with Rondstadt a female soloist with male backup. Looking back, so much of the music then was a bunch of guys singing, or maybe, but much less often, a bunch of girls singing. The Seekers actually blended the male and female voices, giving the song a warmer, to me, feel.

As for fashion - I am several months older than Ann, and was one year ahead of her in school, and about the only thing that we noticed, as guys, was that the hair was maybe getting a little longer. But looking back to my HS graduation photo - you really couldn’t tell from it whether I had graduated in 1962, or 1968 or 1969. That close cropped, groomed look. Fashion was for the girls. We mostly didn’t even notice it. My dress was fairly constant throughout HS (Levi’s, button down shirt, roughout cowboy boots). Not all that different from today, except that I have mostly replaced the boots with sneakers. It was really only about 1970 or so that we (my next brother and I) had moved to long hair.

Used to think that the girls were absolutely crazy. They all seemed to go blond, and were ironing their hair. And all that shrieking over pop stars made no sense whatsoever. Of course, the ironed hair is generational. And maybe regional - CO was probably closer to the beaches in S CA, than Pickadelli Square, both geographically, and in spirit. My mother curled hers when younger, as did my partner, who is 7 years younger than I. Still does it to this day when we go out. She probably would have loved being in my class in school, where her absolutely straight blond hair was the rage.

I saw Ronstadt live in ‘73 as warmup to Graham Nash and Stephen Stills (I think. Coulda been Crosby). I was not all that familiar with her at that point and thought her pretty good, too good to be the second billing. But Nash was awesome that night and said something that completely matched an epiphany I had recently had. He said he was just learning the piano and it was blowing his mind how everything he had done on guitar was now laid out in front of him.

No one commenting on the "contrast" that struck me--in 1965 the woman was pledging her total devotion and loyalty, even dependence to her one true love. In 1967, the woman is breaking up with the man, not because he is bad or did anything wrong, but she wants independence rather than commitment.

I saw Ronstadt, along with Kris Kristofferson, Country Joe and the Fish, and some others at Dane County Coliseum in the spring of '73. Kristofferson performed early and perhaps Ronstadt was the featured, last act. As she performed, a shitfaced Kristofferson staggered back onto stage and started pawing at Linda, who gamely tried to push him off while holding onto the song. He'd stagger back, regroup, and come at her again.

Almost anything Linda Ronstadt was outstanding. She was so versatile, solo or duets, trios, all wonderful. I loved her Songs for My Father, she sounded like a natural. I also loved her compilation album she did with Emmy Lou Harris, The Western Wall, the Tuscan Sessions. She did a beautiful song with Phoebe Snow, I particularity liked, The Married Man.

Fashion was as much fun throughout the 60's for both men and women. People still dressed up, every day. You didn't go out in flannel pajamas, etc. The style changes were so much fun from the teased up bouffants to the thick bags and long straight hair. The hemlines went up and down and the fabrics were rich and colorful...from my madras shorts to my velvet mini-skirt! There has not been an era in my lifetime as fun as far as my wardrobe or musical influences as the 60's.

The differences are not from the dates, but from the skills of the vocalists. Judith Durham has a nice tone, but she sings the song exactly on the beat, with pretty much no musical expression at all. Linda Ronstadt, on the other hand, is living that song.

In other words, the differences are mainly a result of the fact that Linda Ronstadt is a vastly better artist than Judith Durham..

Judith Durham has a nice tone, but she sings the song exactly on the beat, with pretty much no musical expression at all.

Interesting interpretation. It should be remembered though, that the Seekers were a Folk Music band, and Ronstadt was a Pop Singer. In Pop you can do whatever gets you on the radio. Except for Georgie Girl, I never heard the Seekers on the AM radio. Mostly they were on FM at night. Right after Champagne Music.

I followed Linda from vinyl to tape to cd to playlist. I only truly loved The Seekers on vinyl. Their moment passed. Linda was a woman for all venues and for all genres and for all the pahaes of your life........Her song is so moving and tragic because you would want to be with her forever.........I wouldn't be a but surprised if Lada Gaga of Taylor Swift are evolving and changing with the times and someone notices and thinks it's a big deal.

Roughcoat, I'd vote for "Never Goin' Back" by John Stewart as the third offering in the trio. There was a great Lovin' Spoonful cover of it in ~1969, and it's right in line with Linda's take on relationships in DD.

I have been reading this blog for more years than I can remember. This is a great post. The Seekers' song is one of my favorites. Linda's not so much. I saw her on Broadway in the Pirates of Penzance, FWIW.

Only time I saw LR perform live was on Broadway--as Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance! A dish. But the most remarkable parts of the show were an athletic Kevin Kline as the Pirate King and George Rose stealing the show as Maj. Gen. Stanley. You can catch the film version.

David said...Two magnificent female voices. They made Judith sing in chorus with the guys but it was still all about her. Linda was featured. That alone is a difference. But wonderful voices, terrific performances.

I was just at the age to fall in love with either of these fabulous women, and it seems I still am.---------------------------------------

I know the feeling. In 1958, at 4, I was just at the age to fall in love with Annette Kleinbard. And I did, yes I did.